As the 2018 legislative session begins this week, property taxes and rural healthcare are among the leading issues for Oklahoma Farm Bureau as it represents its members at the state Capitol. The organization boiled its message down to just a few simple points for state lawmakers.


Topping their list, OKFB headlined with their stance on keeping ad valorem taxes low; preserving the ag sales tax exemptions; enhancing rural healthcare; and protecting private property rights.


Private property rights have always been cornerstone to Farm Bureau members. This year, OKFB will advocate for landowners in rights-of-way easements, particularly in regard to oil and gas pipeline easements.


Providing landowners every opportunity to eradicate feral swine on private property is also high on the list for OKFB members. The invasive species wreaks havoc on Oklahoma farms and ranches and causes an estimated $1 billion in damage to agriculture across the country.


Other priority issues include continued funding for the maintenance and construction of rural roads and bridges and continued legislative appropriations for the Oklahoma State University Cooperative Extension and research programs.


Click here to read more about these policies adopted by OKFB in preparation for the upcoming 2018 Oklahoma Legislative Session.

The Oklahoma Cattlemen's Foundation will hosting an AgVocacy Seminar on Thursday, Feb. 8, 2018 at Cimarron Fields Event Barn, near Yukon, Okla. The seminar will begin at 9 a.m. and conclude by 4 p.m.


According to Tiffani Pruitt, Oklahoma Cattlemen's Foundation coordinator, the seminar will feature a trio of speakers who are engaged agriculturalists genuinely concerned about agriculture literacy, or the public's knowledge of Agriculture.


The speaker lineup for the day includes Ann Burkholder from Cozad, Nebraska who is author of the Feedyard Foodie Blog, a Nebraska Feedyard Operator, wife and mother of three.


Also, Brandi Frobose of Greeley, Kansas, who is a mother, a blogger, a runner and currently works as the Communications Coordinator at Red Angus Association of America will speak.


And last but not least, Ryan Goodman, who grew up on a progressive cow/calf and stocker cattle operation in Arkansas and now serves as Director of Grassroots Advocacy and Spokesperson Development for NCBA, will share how he builds working relationships with producers and provides producers with the tools and education they need for better advocacy and communication.


The cost to attend the event is $25. Lunch will be included. To learn more about the event and how to register, click here.

Suffice it to say, it was a good year for the beef business according to Randy Blach of CattleFax, who spoke to producers at the National Cattlemen's Beef Association and Cattle Industry Convention in Phoenix, Arizona this past week. He also spoke briefly with me about this past year and how its success has positioned the markets for the year ahead.


"We hit on all cylinders. The market was better in all aspects than we anticipated," said Blach looking back on the performance of the past year. "We had more profitability at every industry segment than we anticipated. It was the second best return year in the history of the US cattle industry. That's saying something when you go through the ups and downs and the cycles we've had over the last 30 and 40 years."


Blach says there were two things specifically that factored into this unexpected profitability and strength in markets. One, he says, was that the industry stayed "incredibly current," while weights were also down significantly which helped to offset much of the increase in cattle supplies. The single biggest contributing factor, though, was that demand was so robust. In regard to 2018, Blach says maintaining, even growing export demand will be of the utmost importance for producers.


"We've got record protein supplies. The biggest production of pork, poultry and beef in the history of the US this year," he said. "You roll them all together and we're looking at significant increases in protein supplies. So, what that tells us is demand has to continue. It was a record year for protein exports for the US, but we'll need to see those numbers increase in order to keep that per capita meat consumption level that are quote 'sustainable.'"


Listen to Randy Blach of CattleFax speak with Ron Hays about the success of the beef business this past year and what it will take to keep that success going, on today's Beef Buzz - click here.
 

Our coverage of the 2018 Cattle Industry Convention and NCBA Trade Show was powered by Farm Data Services of Stillwater this year - learn more about how they can help your farm or ranch operation's bottom line in a variety of ways by clicking here.

A new website developed by the Department of Agriculture offers a one-stop-shop for farmers and ranchers to conduct business with USDA.

While visiting Michigan last Thursday, Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue unveiled the website, Farmers.gov.

USDA describes the website as a streamlined, single point of online access to agricultural programs and information, tools and personal advice for agriculture. Perdue told the Michigan Farm Bureau the website will help producers complete paperwork "without taking a big chunk out of the day."

The website gathers together the three agencies of USDA's Farm Production and Conservation mission area: The Farm Service Agency, the Natural Resources Conservation Service, and the Risk Management Agency.

USDA says new functions will be added soon, including an interactive calendar, an online appointment feature, digital forms, and a business data dashboard.

Click here to read the original announcement from USDA, on our website.

House Agriculture Chairman Mike Conaway says Congress should attach provisions to help cotton and dairy farmers to any must-pass bill before the farm bill comes up. Speaking at the Crop Insurance Industry Annual Convention Monday in Phoenix, Arizona, Conaway signaled that he is no longer focused on just convincing the Senate to include the aid in the disaster bill. 

Conaway told the audience he has found a way to fix the cotton program in the farm bill, but adds that "dairymen need help now." He says that Title 1, the commodity title of the farm bill, is "on hold until we see what we get on a must-pass bill." 

Conaway says he would take any bill that has to get to the president's desk for signature. As for the farm bill, he says "the good news" is Congress does not have to make mandatory cuts, like the 2014 farm bill, noting farm bill spending has decreased $100 billion since 2014. Conaway says Senate Ag Chair Pat Roberts would like to bring up the bill in March, but that it probably won't be ready.

Speaking of Chairman Conaway and his Committee- they will be hearing from Ag Secretary Sonny Perdue this morning- starting at 8:30 AM as he offers his take on the status of the US Farm and Ranch Economy- I'm sure that 2018 Farm Bill will be mentioned once or twice.

Click here for the Committee's website- where you can watch the hearing live- look for the big red box on the left hand side of the page that says "Watch Live Hearings".